I'm not a conspiracy theorist, and this is backed up by scientists and history. I've been hearing more about this (as the date nears) and this worries me (on several levels). Aside from the potential catastrophic effects against humanity (which may be averted if proactive) what is the fate of all our $1,000s of dollars in audio and instrument gear? Is this a serious threat? Is there an easy and practical way to protect our equipment? Any electronics experts care to chime in?

imo the effects of magnetism on electronics is often misunderstood and exaggerated. like, i used to know people who were paranoid about using magnetic tipped screwdrivers on their computers, ignoring the fact that there's 2 super-powerful neodymium magnets sitting in their hard drive :P

and anyone who says magnets effect your health i just instantly assume is a quack. hah.

I've been hearing more about this....potential catastrophic effects against humanity....Is this a serious threat?

Solar storm activity cycles up and down and peaks about every 11 years. The last peak was around 2000-2002 and was probably more active than what they are predicting for 2014. The Earth, humanity, and analog synths have seen many cycles come and go, so I'm not sure who is telling you there will be "catastrophic effects", but they are wrong. Your TV might get fuzzy for a minute, or your cell phone might drop a call. That's about it.

I've read this in other respectable news outlets outside of Wired and with the date closing in I'm hearing more about it. Honestly, I'm a logical thinker and don't buy into most of this stuff but it sounded to me like the 2013/2014 event may be more like a double-whammy of solar flares/storms which, according to scientists, will happen. That said, I'm not freaking out, but ya never know when it comes to the powers of nature.

As for practical protection a "faraday cage" is a solution. It also will shield against RFI (cellphones etc.) if your gear is sensitive to this. To build this in a studio is of course quite expensive (rising prices of copper), especially if it's not put in during construction.

BTW, as for your "respectable" news provider(s), Wired is quite good, but as these days most news agencies are either state owned or owned by only a few multinational corporations, it's prudent to gather news a little broader, if you want to retain a complete picture. If you know your way around the interwebs, that's perfectly possible.

All in all, it could be an event with hardly any, or with huge consequences, depending on how our leadership deems survival as a species of any importance. At least you know how to keep the jupi-8 safe.

We are more likely to destroy our selves with nuclear warfare in the near future, than we are to get fried by a cme .... that said, it could happen. When is a different story.

Don't believe any of the rags online, the only thing scientists can be sure of is that it will happen .... one day, when? who knows? The solar cycle is apparently 11yrs, although the problem with this is that it often doesn't have 2 maximums the same, and some are more like minimums. Some of the flares during solar minimums have been greater than those at and through times of max.

It's a headache... just make sure all your gear is fused up and hope to hell that it doesn't come before they find a way to give everyone a copper blanket to put over their houses lol.

Solar Threats
First hour guest, author Lawrence Joseph talked about protecting the electrical grids from solar blasts. We face a serious danger of getting knocked off the grid (major solar blasts occurred in 1859 and 1921), yet the Senate scuttled legislation that was passed in the House to take protective measures, he noted. Joseph said he's seeking to get this topic on the agenda of the 2012 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, so that heads of state can take action on this catastrophic threat.

It really depends on what type of electromagnetic storm you are talking about. CME's and the 11 year solar cycle isn't all that big of a deal really. I'm pretty in tune with it and for the past 10 years it's been a huge dud, it was supposed to really pick up in 2008. This spring was pretty good though. I'm hoping for something awesome over the next two years though.

What you should really be concerned about is something you have absolutely no control over and is completely unpredictable. A Magnetar is one of the only things that would take out all of your electronics at once. There are only 4 known ones in the Milky Way though. One had a burst in 1979 and in 1998. I was lucky enough to experience the one in 1998 and it was really cool.

I used to respect Coast to Coast a lot more than in recent years. George Noory is sort of pandering to all conspiracy theorists way too much and is really right-wing. Point being I can't listen to CtoC without rolling my eyes half the time. A lot of the guests are so blatantly incompetent and using scare tactics. That said, the show does get some topics out there to think about but a person needs to research those topics outside of the show.

As far as a geomagnetic storm wiping out electronics, I would have to say that my gear frying would be the least of my problems! Who needs a working V-Synth if this happens!? heh

It really depends on what type of electromagnetic storm you are talking about. CME's and the 11 year solar cycle isn't all that big of a deal really. I'm pretty in tune with it and for the past 10 years it's been a huge dud, it was supposed to really pick up in 2008. This spring was pretty good though. I'm hoping for something awesome over the next two years though.

What you should really be concerned about is something you have absolutely no control over and is completely unpredictable...

Did you check the links? As mentioned the one in 1859 fried everything electronic. If your studio has a faraday cage, it's safe from that. If not, not. Just like all powerstations, modern cars (plastic and loads of electronics and computers), cellphones, computers, electrical appliances, pacemakers, and geiger counters. It's as simple as that.
I wouldn't be overly concerned, and walk around with a frown on your face.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numinamusic

....
As far as a geomagnetic storm wiping out electronics, I would have to say that my gear frying would be the least of my problems! Who needs a working V-Synth if this happens!? heh

indeed..
But it is prudent to inform ourselves, and prepare for cyclical occurring eventualities, as our governments seem to have different ideas (about informing it's citizens about all sorts of things, or taking action to fulfill it's primary role as protector), you do remember the story of the three piglets?
lol

The US power grid could not withstand anything on the level of the
1859 storm. Could be a couple years without electricity. That would
actually be very chaotic when people run out of food in the first 3-4
days... everything thaws, spoils.

For some reason May, 2013 is the date I heard. Could be BS, could
be factual. Could be understated...

Who has the keys to the seed bank?

See you all under the Denver airport when it goes down. That'll be
me down there. Lap boy for the PMs wife.

BTW, as for your "respectable" news provider(s), Wired is quite good, but as these days most news agencies are either state owned or owned by only a few multinational corporations, it's prudent to gather news a little broader, if you want to retain a complete picture. If you know your way around the interwebs, that's perfectly possible.

For every one well researched, investigative styled article that usually spans about 8 pages in wired, they cram 300 filler "what you need to know about the next iphone, sega or whatever" styled articles that are nothing more usually than short lists for stuff like "1. stock up on moutain doo 2. give your girlfriend a booty call" heh which is my main beef with their overall level of journalism.

however I agree, research, research again and keep your mind / eyes open for multiple sources of information. of course I admit this is the first i've heard of it either.

something will happen, we just don't know what exactly. But, everything that happens is good for us, it is law of the universe, maybe after all we gonna be free of our demonic instruments and we will play real music, a sacred one with our own voices and good old acoustic instruments. I can play drums, guitar and accordion a little bit ))

I sometimes get the feeling that the 2012 doom and gloom scare is put there to influence people, to paralise them into thinking the is no hope.
Hollywood is a propaganda outlet. Always has been. So there's some snippets they put out there. With a purpose though. to inform? to steer towards?

there is ALWAYS hope. there's ALWAYS positive and negative forces. NEVER unconditionally trust politicians, leaders, ALWAYS question, and stay alert. In this case at this moment, the leaders in the west are dropping the ball (InMyHumbleOpinion), and regard their people as "stupid". I think that is wrong. People will react mostly how you treat them, and approach them. Also I don't believe in the BS about "us" vs. "them". IMO if we want to make it through the next phase of evolution, we have to unite and (again) make things better. That positive idea is lost to many it seems to me, not in the least to the elite. Evil does exist! But that can change. It's all cycles. We're just at the end of a couple longer and shorter ones. (since the start of the industrial revolution, and a short one since the end of the seventies (bubbles preventing a deflationairy cycle))
my brother (bless him) says he doesn't have time to look at the bigger picture. I disagree. If more people would look at facts, talk, discuss, this world would be a LOT better. But I have no qualms with the fact that most couldn't be bothered what would happen to them. Every man makes his own future. Some have long range radar, some short range.

I also think that RIGHT NOW, this month we're on a crossroads. **** is hitting the fan in the west and east. Especially in the northern hemisphere. It can go either way. Love hopefully will prevail.

if we (the earth) get hit bad then synths are our last worry. the power grid is the killer. a sub-station takes one year to replace. if all the substations go at once. we're proper fuked. Like no food fuked.

However, there is an early warning satellite in between us and the sun, it should be able to tell us about 15 minutes in advance that we're doomed. which is enough time to turn everything off. of course we won’t. and we'll all be screwed. if this is going to happen in the next couple of years or so, who knows?

personally i'm more worried about the long overdue magnetic field switch of the earth.

and the mass extinction event that’s supposed to happen every 500 million years.

oh and let’s not forget global warming.. 4 degrees and the methane under the ocean will escape. then we’re all toast.